1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a rear direction monitoring apparatus of a vehicle for monitoring a man or an object existing in the vicinity of an exhaust tail pipe disposed at the rear part of the vehicle.
2. Discussion of related arts
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Toku-Kai 2000-177513 discloses a reverse drive assist apparatus for detecting an obstacle at the rear of a vehicle based on an image of a rear field taken by a monitoring camera and for raising an alarm by sound to a vehicle driver.
In the aforesaid reverse drive assist apparatus, depending upon the position where the camera is located, it is difficult to recognize an existence of an infant, a man riding a wheelchair, a man of short stature or an object of a small height. Further, according to the aforesaid reverse drive assist apparatus, a detection of the obstacle is available only when a vehicle travels in reverse or when a shift lever is in a reverse position.
Accordingly, when an engine starts, the man or the object existing at the rear of the vehicle cannot be detected. As a result, exhaust gases blow against the infant or the man riding on the wheelchair. If the object existing at the rear of the vehicle is a flammable one, there is possibility of an occurrence of fire.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a rear direction monitoring apparatus capable of raising an alarm or inhibiting starting an engine when it is detected that a man or an object exists in the vicinity of an exhaust tail pipe.
To attain the object, the rear direction monitoring apparatus comprises first detecting means for detecting that an ignition key is switched to an accessory-on position, second detecting means for detecting whether or not the object exists in the vicinity of an exhaust tail pipe when the first detecting means detects that the ignition key is switched to accessory-on position, and first warning means for raising an alarm to a driver when the second detecting means detects that the object exists in the vicinity of the exhaust tail pipe.
The rear direction monitoring apparatus further comprises second warning means for raising the alarm at the rear part of the vehicle when the second detecting means detects that the object exists in the vicinity of the exhaust tail pipe. Further, for safety, the rear direction monitoring apparatus includes third detecting means for detecting that the ignition key is turned on when the second detecting means detects that the object exists in the vicinity of the exhaust tail pipe and engine starting inhibiting means for inhibiting starting an engine when the third detecting means detects that the ignition key is turned on.